Tapper shaker



Sept. 24, 1968 T R ER 3,402,859

TAP-PER SHAKER Filed June 26, 1967 Fig.1

Fly-3 I N VEN TOR.

Amos Tamer United States Patent 3,402,859 TAPPER SHAKER Amos Turner, 815 Shelden Ave., Houghton, Mich. 49931 Filed June 26, 1967, Ser. No. 648,664 1 Claim. (Cl. ZZZ-196.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A salt or pepper shaker having a self-contained tapping mechanism so as to easily discharge the contents therefrom through the usual perforated openings in a cap at the end of the shaker, the self-contained means comprising a relatively heavy weight which abuts against the housing when the shaker is moved, thus providing a gentle tapping action.

This invention relates generally to salt and pepper shakers.

It is generally well known that it is sometimes difiicult to shake salt or pepper out of a shaker particularly when the weather is damp. At such occasions a person may try to shake out the salt or the like by means of tapping the shaker abruptly, thus causing the granules thereof to be thrown forwardly through the small perforated openings in the cap at the end of the housing. This principle is accordingly used in the present invention.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a salt or pepper shaker having self-contained means whereby salt or pepper may be readily shaken from the shaker by employing a gentle tapping action force.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tapper shaker having self-contained means to dispense salt or pepper with a minimum effort even when the weather is damp.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tapper shaker which employs a relatively heavy weight that is longitudinally movable within the housing and which abuts thereagainst when the shaker is shaken in a conventional manner, thus causing a tap against the housing so as to disperse the salt or pepper.

Still a further object of the present invention is.to provide a tapper shaker which includes a separate compartment within which the relatively heavy weight is movable thereby not in any way interfering with contamination of the salt or the like.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a tapper shaker which may be used for any other powdered or granule substance such as spices, flour, cleaners, chemicals, cosmetics or the like.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a tapper shaker which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of the present in vention shown partly in cross section;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of a weight which forms a part of the present invention; and

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of a compression coil spring that also forms a part of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, reference numeral represents a tapper shaker according to the present invention wherein there is a housing 11 having a central compartment 12 therewithin for containing salt or other like material, the compartment 12 having an opening at its upper end which is normally closed after the 3,402,859 Patented Sept. 24, 1968 ice compartment has been filled with salt or the like, the opening being enclosed by a cap 13. The cap is provided with a plurality of relatively small openings 14 through which the salt or other substance may be dispersed when the shaker is turned over.

At the opposite end of the housing 11, there is a compartment 15 formed in the end of the housing, the compartment having a central post 16 as is shown in FIG- URE 1 of the drawing. This end of the housing includes an external thread 17 for purpose of engaging a cap 18 having an internal thread 19 for engagement with the threads 17.

Within the compartment 15 there is a weight 20 having a central opening 21 for purpose of receiving the post 16 therethrough. As is shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawing, it is to be noted that the outer diameter of the weight is relatively smaller than the compartment 15 and the opening 21 is relatively much larger than the diameter of the post 16 thereby allowing the weight to freely move in a longitudinal direction along the post. The weight 20 may be made of any relatively heavy material, and may be made of metal such as steel or lead, depending upon the size of the shaker. A compression coil spring 22 is placed between the weight 20 and the end wall 23 of the end :cap 18, thus normally maintaining the Weight in abutment with a wall 24 located between the compartments 12 and 15.

In operative use, the shaker may be made to contain salt or other substance. The substance may be shaken out of the shaker even in damp weather without any problem by simply moving the shaker in a longitudinally forwardly and backwardly movement, commonly used in dispensing from shakers. This movement will cause the weight 20 to compress the spring 22 when the shaker is moved in a forwardly direction due to the momentum of the relatively heavy weight. At the end of the forward movement of the shaker, the weight being acted upon by the spring, will strike a blow against the wall 24, thus imparting a tapping action which will cause the salt or other substance to be more easily dispensed from the perforated openings in the cap 13. By a repeated backward and forward movement of the shaker, repeated taps will be applied to the housing, thus causing the salt or other substance to be very easily removed even under adverse weather conditions which normally tends, in conventional shakers, to become blocked up.

In a modified construction, not shown in the drawing, a relatively thick neoprene washer may be placed between the weight and the wall 24, the neoprene washer being secured by adhesive or other means to the wall 24, thus preventing a knocking noise at each movement of the shaker normally caused by the Weight striking the wall 24. A still further modification in the construction may be provided in the elimination of the compression coil spring, and allowing the weight free movement between the cap and wall 23 and the wall 24 of the housing.

While various changes may be made in the detailed construction, it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as is defined by the appended claim.

I claim:

1. In a shaker for salt and the like, the combination of a housing, a first end cap at one end of said housing, a second end cap at the opposite end of the housing, and said housing having a compartment for containing salt and the like, said compartment communicating with the first of said end caps, and a second compartment communicating with the second end cap, said second compartment having a self contained means for providing a tapping action when said shaker is used, the first said end cap being provided with a plurality of perforated openings therethrough, said first end cap being fitted over an open- 3 t ing providing access'to the first said compartment, and said salt or other substance being dispensed through said perforated openings, said second end cap including an end wall and a cylindrical side wall threadingly engaged to one end of said housing so as to enclose said second compartment, said second compartment containing a ring configurated weight of relatively heavy material which is longitudinally, axially moveable between said end wall of said cap and a wall of said housing between the first said compartment and the second said compartment, said housing wall having a central post receiving said weight, the end of said post being in abutment with said second end V cap, and a compression coil spring being fitted between said weight and said end wall of said second end cap.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1953 Soares et al. 222-1965 FOREIGN PATENTS 385,160 12/1923- Germany. 594,864 3/1934 Germany.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

